1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is in the field of systems for providing business intelligence and reporting. In particular, the present invention provides a method and system for implementing one or more definable actions when presented with data. The data may be produced by a business intelligence application. The actions may relate to activities performed by a user or an agent.
2. Description of the Related Art
Business intelligence (BI) applications are well known in the art. Suppliers of business intelligence applications include Cognos (part of IBM Corporation), SAP AG, Microsoft Corporation, SAS Institute Incorporated and Oracle Corporation. A business intelligence application may provide functions such as data analysis, data mining, data search, reporting, performance measures, accounting, and charting. One or more business intelligence applications may operate concurrently to provide a business intelligence platform with wide functionality. Business intelligence applications may include both bespoke and turnkey solutions.
A business intelligence application typically accesses and processes data stored in one or more databases. The databases may be part of one or more data warehouses; i.e. structured data arranged according to specific data models to facilitate data analysis and extraction. Data may be accessed through one or more applications that interface with the business intelligence application.
For example, for a business entity in a manufacturing environment, there may be one or more databases that store data documenting products, employees, offices, manufacturing locations, equipment, suppliers, customers and production schedules. A business intelligence application or suite of applications is designed to interrogate this data and provide indicators and relevant information to manage the running of the entity. While the data itself may be specific to a business environment, the storing, analysing and processing of data requires technical considerations.
The operations of modern companies typically require the integration of heterogeneous processes, workflows, services, functions and content with one or more business intelligence applications. For example, a manufacturing company may have a first system comprising a first application and an associated database that manages human resource data such as employer records. It may also have a second system comprising a second application and an associated database for monitoring and controlling production lines. The company may then wish to assign employees to a particular production line and monitor productivity data; to do this the two systems need to be integrated. In the prior art, the integration of separate systems has been difficult. It is typically achieved by writing computer program code in the form of a third application that is designed to interface with the two systems. This approach is complex, requires detailed technical knowledge of the workings of both systems and the resultant solution is difficult to reuse or repackage.
Additionally, prior art solutions to the problem of data integration are typically limited when it comes to interaction with a user. These solutions are primarily designed to integrate data for processing and presentation; as such a user can only passively view integrated data. Determining how to act when faced with reports and other information is a difficult task. It often relies on the experience of users coupled with complex rules that are traditionally embedded into an application. These are difficult to adapt and change as circumstances change in real time.
There is therefore a problem in the art of providing consistency, security and simplicity when integrating, analysing and interacting with heterogeneous, and possibly distinct, processes, workflows, services and sources of data. There is also the need to provide consistency, security and simplicity when integrating, analysing and interacting with business intelligence applications and computer-implemented business processes. These features are required to allow a modern company to function efficiently. There is also a need in the art for systems that can be operated by a wide variety of users, including those who have limited skills or experience, both technically and with regard to computer-implemented business processes, and to provide assistance to these users so that they may optimally manage a modern company.